I had spent most of my childhood in various different foster homes and orphanages. I was always "The lonely boy", the one who nobody wanted to be friends with, the one who always got the smallest slice of cake and the burnt toast. You see, I wasn't normal.
I was given so many names and insults throughout my childhood. I grew up known more as wolf-boy than Edward. It's not my fault. It's not anyone's fault really. My parents weren't normal. My mother, Renesmee Cullen, is half-vampire and my father, Jacob Black, is a werewolf. I'm named after their parents. Edward Billy Cullen-Black. Edward after my mother's father and Billy after my grandfather on my dad's side. So I am always the centre of attention- For all the wrong reasons.
Firstly, I am 1 part human, 2 parts werewolf and 1 part vampire. All up that means I am ¾ mythical creature and only a quarter of me is like everyone else. Secondly I look completely different to everyone else. My skin is marble white but my cheeks are always red like I'm constantly embarrassed. My temperature is always at least 20° higher than everyone else's and I'm about 50cm taller. I can transform into a werewolf at will which I used to use to my advantage and I'd scare all the annoying little kids at some of the orphanages I'd lived at. That's usually how I got kicked out.
My parents had both died by the time I was two. My father had only seen me twice. He died in a fight between many vampires and werewolves 2 days after my birth and my mum died of old age a year later. She, being part vampire, aged much faster than the average person so once she'd been alive for 15 years, she got too old and died.
They had both grown up in a small town in America called Forks and Dad imprinted on Mum when she was just 1 day old. Living in a coven of vampires was very pressuring. One day a fight broke out and they escaped to Australia. When they ran away, they didn't know where they would end up. The first flight out from Seattle was to Melbourne so that's where they went. Nobody even knew they'd gone.
I survived a life of misery and unhappiness, going from orphanage to orphanage, occasionally getting adopted out but being returned within days because I wasn't perfect enough. But who blames them? I mean what kind of person wants a son that transforms into a werewolf, has very sharp teeth, is unbelievably strong and can't be managed by humans?
When I was 15, I ran away. I didn't need guidance and having an adult with me wasn't exactly any better defense than being alone. Of course, no-one went looking for me. I wasn't exactly an important part of anyone's lives. So I hung around, living off the streets. I'd scavenge for food. Sometimes, when things got really bad, I'd sit in cafés and beg people for any leftovers. Life like this was hard and boring. I'd often find a quiet place and transform, just to give myself something to do. I'd go to a lonely beach at night, then transform and watch the waves roll over the rocks. If I smell human, I transform back to my "Person Profile" so that I don't look too obvious.
One day I was walking down the main strip in a small beach town. It was midsummer and the day was quite warm. I was looking in shop windows, wondering what I was going to eat when I saw a man who caught my eye. He was tall and blonde with pure marble skin, leaning against a shiny black Mercedes, his hands in his pockets, staring at me with his jet-black eyes. He was dressed for early spring, with a white shirt, a thin, formal-looking jacket and a pair of dark navy slacks. He had fancy black shoes on which looked almost new just to match his clothing and car. I felt like I'd seen him somewhere before.
As I got closer, he stepped away from his car and stood in the middle of the pavement, still glaring at me. I knew it was me that he was looking for. He was a definite vampire. I walked nearer and as I came close he reached out his hand. "Edward?" he asked me.
"Yes." He shook my hand. His was hard and cold and I slipped my hand away from his in shock.
"Hello," he said in a calming tone. "I'm Carlisle. I'm your great grandfather."